2011 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2011 · GS Paper I

Question 59: History and Culture

With reference to the period of colonial rule in India, "Home Charges" formed an important part of drain of wealth from India. Which of the following funds constituted "Home Charges" ?

  1. 1.Funds used to support the India Office in London.
  2. 2.Funds used to pay salaries and pensions of British personnel engaged in India.
  3. 3.Funds used for waging wars outside India by the British.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below :

a1 only
b1 and 2 only
c2 and 3 only
d1, 2 and 3

AnswerThe answer is (b).

Home Charges were the expenses the Government of India had to meet in England: the upkeep of the India Office in London, interest on India's public debt and on railway guarantees, pensions and furlough pay of British civil and military personnel, and stores bought in Britain. Remitted from India, these payments formed a core part of the drain of wealth. The cost of wars outside India was a separate military burden on Indian revenues, not a Home Charge.

  • 1. India Office expenses in London were Home Charges.
  • 2. Salaries and pensions of British personnel were Home Charges.
  • 3. War costs outside India were charged to Indian revenues but are not counted as Home Charges.

How you could have got this

  1. If you were sure statement 2 is correct, (a) goes: it leaves 2 out.

    What you needed to know: Salaries and pensions of British personnel were Home Charges.

  2. Then, if you were sure statement 3 is not correct, (c) and (d) go: each of them includes 3.

    What you needed to know: War costs outside India were charged to Indian revenues but are not counted as Home Charges.

Only (b) is left. You didn’t need statement 1.

This follows an unofficial answer: UPSC has not published its key for this year, and if that answer is wrong, so is this path.

Which options go is worked out from UPSC’s key and the options, not by a model.

Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) Omits salaries and pensions of British personnel, which were Home Charges.
  • (b) Right: India Office expenses and salaries and pensions of British personnel.
  • (c) Omits the India Office and includes wars outside India, which were not Home Charges.
  • (d) Includes the cost of wars outside India, which were not Home Charges.

Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2011, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.